Fisher Cats lose 3-1 at New Britain

Fisher Cats Press Release: Marcus Stroman will not pitch in the All-Star Game in New Britain next week, so he did his best to dazzle the home crowd on Tuesday night. The righty set a career high and matched the Fisher Cats' all-time record with 13 strikeouts to open a two-game series. And while the hometown fans may have been dazzled, the Rock Cats (40-43) were not, beating Stroman and the Fisher Cats (39-44), 3-1.

Stroman's night started with a blaze as he struck out the side in the first, working around a one-out walk. He added two more K's each in the second and third to raise his total to seven in the first three innings.

While the Rock Cats were floundering against Stroman (L; 4-2), the Fisher Cats were not doing much better against New Britain's Tom Stuifbergen (W; 3-1). They had just one hit through the first three innings - an Amadeo Zazueta double - before stranding a walk and a single in the fourth.

The Rock Cats finally got to Stroman in the fourth and fifth tallying the only three runs they'd need. Three straight hits and a run-scoring groundout produced two runs in the fourth. Three more hits to start the fifth made it 3-0.

Stroman finished the fifth with a double play before striking out the side again in the sixth. He finished his night with a pair of strikeouts in the seventh, giving him 13 in the game. His longest career outing produced a new season high in K's for the Fisher Cats. He also set the franchise record for most strikeouts in a regular season game, equaling the mark of 13 set in the 2004 playoffs by Gustavo Chacin on September 8, 2004.

New Hampshire netted its only run in the ninth on a Brian Van Kirk single. Another double play ended that rally, stranding the team's fifth runner at second base to end the game.

The Fisher Cats will now try and even the series while snapping a four-game skid on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Lefty Sean Nolin (3-2, 3.00) takes the hill against New Britain righty Virgil Vasquez (0-1, 3.09).